Creators should start paying extra attention to how shareable their content is when it comes to creating reels and posts. In a new video on July 2 addressed to creators, Instagram head Adam Mosseri made this priority clear.
“We want [Instagram] to not only be a place where you passively consume content, but where you discover things,” he said.
Mosseri first announced this Instagram algorithm change back in May. But now, he’s expanding on the significance of the “sends-per-reach” metric.
“Don’t force it as a creator, but if you can, when you’re making content, think about making content that people would want to send to a friend to someone that they care about, and it will help you reach over time.”
How do creators feel about Instagram’s algorithm change?
In the comments section of Mosseri’s new video, creators were torn over whether to follow this advice.
One creator said that metrics like this dominating the algorithm will make Instagram a “soulless content machine,” while another said: “I think it’s a shame that you always have to create clickbait content to reach people.”
Meanwhile, a third creator said, “Sorry, not playing this game. I create quality videos and that’s that. … Go ahead, give the reach to comic faces, roasts, memes, and outrageous acts. I’ll still produce quality videos, and probably move to YouTube this year.”
But does increased shareability always have to correlate with a decline in quality? Not always. Arguably, it could add a human touch and focus on friendship to a social media landscape that oftentimes feels all too robotic.
On the flipside, what will then happen to content that’s important to people but isn’t necessarily shareable? If Instagram is using shares as a key metric, content that is enjoyed in a more personal way will end up being de-prioritized.
Overall, since last year, Instagram has been testing the ability to display share counts on posts. So, this emphasis on shares shouldn’t really come as a surprise. But if the response to Mosseri’s latest video is anything to go by, the transition might not be easy.
